One evening, a little more than 3 years ago, my husband, myself and our 2 smallest(at the time) were sitting down for dinner in a hotel. My husband had to take a class for work in Oklahoma, so we tagged along. Anyway, we were sitting down when a man comes up and asks if he may sit in the empty seat at our table. Just to clarify, this wasn’t a fancy restaurant, it was the breakfast/buffet area and this hotel served dinner 4 nights a week. So he sits, we’re talking and we find out he’s a minister. Well, before he gets up to leave he says some very specific things to my husband and I that he says God put on his heart.The things he spoke on had not at all been mentioned during our dinner conversation, but they were so on point!
He shared 2 things with me, and i want to share one with you. It’s been so long that I know I won’t get it verbatim, but hopefully you’ll get the point. He said to me, ” What you’re doing as a mother is very important. Don’t get caught up in the mundane day to day task and think it’s a small thing or no big deal.” I’m sure there was more and I wish I could remember every word, but I can’t. The thing is at the time, that statement spoke volumes to me. How could he know that I needed to hear that? I didn’t know I needed to hear it until I heard it!
Ever since I decided I wanted children I knew that I wanted to stay home with them, that was purely my decision. My husband wasn’t stomping around saying he wanted his woman barefoot and pregnant at home! I desired to be home with my children before I had a husband or children. Even still, sometime I felt as though I wasn’t doing enough and was guilty down playing my role as a SAHM. Now, sometimes God will put it on your heart to do more and reach farther for the purpose of glorifying His Kingdom, I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about looking at motherhood (parenthood) as your ministry. I was not always looking at it this way. I can only speak from the perspective of the Stay at Home Mother, and I know that sometime when there is no monetary value attached to the work you are doing you can feel like what you are doing is less than. Now, this is not a post about SAHM vs. WAHM vs. Work Outside the Home Mom. Everything every parent pours into their children has a Godly and Spiritual value.
A little over a month ago I was in church, the first weekend of every month they especially lift up families in prayer. That weekend the Pastor’s Wife was speaking during this time, I wrote down a few points from her mini lesson:
- My (Your) words carry weight.
- My (Your) encouragement impacts the ones I love and love me. Especially my (your) spouse and children.
- I/You am/are ordained to speak into my/your husband’s and childrens’ lives.
Hearing things like that always brings back to my mind what that stranger said to me at dinner that one evening. Anyone that knew me could have said something like, actually I’m pretty sure they have. But there is something about hearing things from someone that knows nothing about you, it almost like it makes it more clear to you that it is definitely God speaking.
I often have to remind myself that my first ministry is right here in my home. My children and husband are my first opportunity everyday to show God’s love, to speak greatness into, and to impact in a positive way. This is no small thing. When your children go out they are a reflection of their home life, and they do not hide it! There are no facades with them. So what do you want the world to say when it comes to your children, more importantly what do you want God to say?
Whether you stay at home or go out to work, parenting is no small task. When you start to feel like your day to day task are not significant remember, God has entrusted you with another life. You impact them and they will impact those around them. You are their first minister, teacher, cheerleader, mentor, advisor, counselor, and a whole lot more. Not only did God give them to you, He gave you to them! No task God gives you is small.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 New International Version (NIV)
~~DaVonda
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